Illusion apparatus.



No. 7|5,959. Patented Dec. I6, 1902-.

A w. BUORAEM & F. nnownsn. ILLUSION APPARATUS.'

(Application filed June 24, i902.

(No Model.) 2 sham-sheet I.

WITNESSES. INVENTOHS fllfrea 1 Bow 'aem' W .fivderz'okz'ffowarzz QJ/LLGK MW, By

A TTOBNEYS.

THE orms PETERS co, PHOTQJJTHO" wasumn'rou. my C UNITED STATES:

PATENT OFFICE.

' ALFRED wREA s BOORAEM AND FREDERIOK-TROWBRIDGEHOWARD, OF

- BROOKLYN,.NEW YORK.

ILLUSIONIAPPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 715,959, dated December 1902- i Application filed June 24, 1902. $eria1No. 113,043. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern: 7

Be it known that we, ALFRED WR AKs BOORAEM and "FREDERICK TROWBRIDGE HOWARD, citizens of the United States, and residents of the city of New York, borough of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Illusion Apparatus, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description. Our invention relates to the class of sporting devices known as illusion apparatus.

The object of our invention is more particularly to produce illusions in the minds of passengers riding upon a sporting-way, such as a pleasure-railway or a pleasure-canal.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicats corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a horizontal section showing our invention as applied to a pleasure-railway. Fig. 2 is a vertical section upon'the line 0000 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a fragmentary elevation upon the line 3 3 of Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrow and showing the screen-frames upon which certain scenery is painted. Fig. 4 is a view somewhat similar to Fig. 3, but showing the scenery 3o painted upon the frame; andFig. 5 is afragmentary view somewhat similar to Fig. 1, but showing certain stationary screens replaced by movable screens.

The railroad-track 1 is provided with a 5 sharp curve 2 and with a return-way 3, this latter element being of the kind already in use. Movable screens 4 5 are mounted upon rollers 6 7 8 Adjacent to the roller 6 and screen 4 is a large mirror 11, which abuts the curved wall 10, as indicated in Fig. 1. This curved wall may be painted to represent scenery of any kind. A pair of walls or frames 12 13 are disposed at an angle toward each other and converge practically to a point at 15. A pair of'rails 14 are disposed in the position indicated in Fig. 1 so as to abut the mirror 11 and to converge practically at the point 15. The outer edges of the frames 12 13 terminate in angles 16 17, these angles being the junction-lines between the frames 12 13 and the walls 18, which walls wheel 25 or the belt-27.

may, if desired, be caused to represent scencry. The inner opposite faces of the frames 12 13 are painted or otherwise caused to represent scenery of any desired kindsuch, for instance, as is indicated in Fig. 4. When a passenger-car is upon the track 1 at the right hand of Fig. 1, the passengers thereon looking to the left in the direction of the mirror 11 will see a false perspective consisting of the rails 14 and the scenery shown in Fig. 4. This false perspective has the appearance to these passengers of the continuation of the railroad, which to their eyes seems to be straight. Of course the scenery upon the screens 12 13 may be variedrat pleasure and may, if desired, represent a building or analogous structure, so as to give the passengers the impression that the car is about to crash into the same. The variety of scenery which may be represented in this way is limited only by the skill of theartist.

The rollers 6 7 8 9 are actuated in any preferred manner-for instance, by the gear- (Shown more particularly in Fig. 2.)

Instead of the stationary frames 12 13 movable aprons or screens 19 20, (see Fig. 5,) mounted upon rollers 21 22 23 24, may be employed. These aprons may of course be painted so as to represent any kind of scenery. Preferably the scenery shown upon the movable aprons 19 20 should harmonize with thatshown upon the aprons 4 5, so as to prevent any abruptness in the continuityof the scenery, or at least to render the break as nearly imperceptible as possible.

A roof 26 may be provided immediately over the railroad, if desired, for the purpose of receiving the representation of the sky or other overhead scenery. I

The operation of our device is as follows: 5 When the scenery of the kind indicated in Figs. 1, 2, and 4 is used, the screens or aprons 4 5 are given a rapid motion and the car trav- 5 els along the track 1 toward the left. The

car may travel very slowly, yet as the screen or aprons 4 5 are moved rapidly in a direction opposite that in which the car is traveling the passengers receive the illusory impression that they are traveling at a tremendous rate of speed.

If the motion of the car is somewhat jerky or irregular, the illusion is rendered more realistic. The passengers looking ahead into the mirror see, as they suppose, in the distance a straight track. The distance, in fact, may represents several miles. It the stationary screens 12 13 are used, the scenery does not seem to move, because of its great distance, whereas if the movable screens 19 20 are used the motion of the scenery is attributed to excessive speed. This corresponds with the sensation of the passengers upon any railway while moving rapidly through the country. Looking a long way ahead the scenery in the vicinity of the track appears to be practically stationary, whereas the scenery immediately at hand appears to be moving rapidly toward the rear of the train. If, however, the aprons or screens 19 20 are used, motion is given to them by rollers 22 23 241. As above stated, all of the screens move in the direction indicated by the arrows in Fig. 5. Passengers looking ahead into the mirror 11 see, as they suppose, a continuation of the track extending ahead for several miles in a straight line, the car apparently making progress relatively to each part of the scenery upon each side of the track. WVhen the car reaches the curve and turns abruptly to the left, the scene changes instantly, so that the passengers are-treated with a surprise.

When the movable screens or aprons 19 20 are used, the scenery upon them should be as harmonious as possible to that upon the aprons 4 5.

lVe do not limit ourselves to the use of screens placed vertically. They may be placed in any other relation.

Having thus described our invention, we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. An illusion apparatus, comprising a railway, a. passenger-car for traveling upon the same, movable screens disposed upon opposite sides of said railway and provided with scenery representing a perspective as viewed from said car, and means for actuating said car and said screen in opposite directions.

2. An illusion apparatus, comprisingaway, a passenger-vehicle movable relatively thereto, screens movable relatively to said way and to said vehicle, and a false perspective so disposed relatively to said screens as to present to passengers upon said vehicle a practicallyuninterrupted scene.

3. An illusion apparatus, comprisingaway, a passenger-vehicle movable relatively thereto, a mirror disposed adjacent to said way, and a false perspective disposed adjacent to said mirrorand reflected therefrom so as to be visible from said passenger-vehicle.

4. An illusion apparatus comprising a way provided with a curve, a vehicle for traveling upon said way, a mirror disposed adjacent to said curve, and a false perspective disposed adjacent to said mirror and said way, said false perspective being visible from said vehicle by reflection in said mirror, but otherwise invisible.

5. An illusion apparatus comprising a way provided with a curve, a mirror mounted adjacent to said curve, a plurality of movable screens mounted adjacent to said way and provided with scenery, a plurality of movable screens mounted adjacent to said mirror and provided with scenery, said scenery being visible from said way by reflection in said mir ror,and a passenger-vehicle for traveling upon said way.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ALFRED WREAKS BOORAEM. FREDERICK TROWBRIDGE HOWARD. Witnesses:

WALTON HARRISON, EVERARD BOLTON MARSHALL. 

